Multiple-site RF transmission systems broadcast signals from more than one base station. This allows radio communications to cover a larger area than is possible with a single base station.
The present invention relates to a network of several single site trunked radio systems. An example of a single site transceiver system is disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,302, entitled "Trunked Radio Repeater System" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,321 entitled "Radio Trunking Fault Detection System" which are incorporated by reference. Digital trunked radio transceivers capable of handling communications between numerous mobile units and dispatcher consoles in a single area are known.
It is generally impractical for a single VHF/UHF RF repeater transmitting site to effectively serve a large geographical area. The broadcast area of a single site is limited by several factors. The effective radiated power of the antenna is subject to legal and practical limits. In addition, natural and man-made topographical features, such as mountains and buildings, block signals from certain locations.
Multiple transmitting sites are necessary to provide RF communications to all locations within a given locality. Multiple transmitters may be needed to cover a rural community covering many square miles or a city having many buildings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a simplified multiple-site system having three radio repeater (transmitting) central sites S1, S2, and S3 providing communications to geographic areas A1, A2, and A3, respectively. Mobile or portable transceivers within area A1 receive signals transmitted by site S1, transceivers within area A2 receive signals transmitted by site S2, and transceivers within area A3 receive signals transmitted by site S3. Each site has a site controller that acts as a central point for communications in the site. To enable communications from one area to another, a switch networks the radio systems together to establish audio slots connecting one site controller to another. Thus, a caller in one area can communicate with someone in another area.
One known method to link several individual trunked systems is simulcasting. Simulcast systems broadcast the same signal at the same time from several base stations. A receiver in area A2 can listen to a signal that originated in area A1 because all of the site transceivers, including at S2, broadcast the same signal. There are difficulties when signals are broadcast simultaneously from several overlapping transceivers. In the areas where the signals overlap, signals from different transmitters interfere to create null regions and signals combine to generate undesirable audible signals which are received by the callee. Despite these problems, successful simulcast systems are operational and have overcome the problems inherent with simultaneous signal transmission. However, the present invention does not employ simulcast.
The present invention is directed to a multisite RF trunked repeater system. As with simulcast, mulitsite allows a caller in one area (e.g. A1) to communicate with a callee in another area (e.g. A2). Unlike simulcast, multicast does not broadcast signals simultaneously from several transmitters on a single channel into all areas. Multicast broadcasts signals only into those areas where the intended callee(s) is located. Moreover, in a multicast network, each site assigns a specific channel to a call independently of the channel assignments made by other sites. Thus, a single call may be broadcast from several site transmitters each operating on a different frequency.
In multisite, the site controller (S1) receives a call from a mobile radio in A1 requesting a channel to communicate with a specific callee. A caller requests a channel simply by pressing the push-to-talk (PTT) button on his microphone. This informs the site controller that a channel is requested. The PTT signal is transmitted to the unit on a control channel that is continuously monitored by the site controller. The site controller assigns a channel to the call and instructs the caller's radio unit to switch from the control channel to the channel assigned to the call. This assigned channel is applicable only within the area covered by the site.
In addition, the site controller sends the channel assignment to the multisite network switch. The switch assigns an internal audio slot to the call. The switch also sends a channel request to all other site controllers or to only those site controllers having a designated callee within their area. Upon receiving a channel request, these secondary site controllers assign a channel to the call. Again, each secondary channel is operative only in the area covered by the secondary site controller. The secondary site controller(s) also sends the channel assignment back up to the multisite switch. The caller can then communicate with a unit or group in an other area via the multisite switch. The call is initially transmitted to the primary site controller, routed through the assigned audio slot in the switch and retransmitted by the secondary sites on various assigned channels in those other areas.
When the caller ends the call, the primary site controller deactivates the assigned channel for that site and notifies the network switch that the call is terminated. There may be a brief "hang time" after the end of the call during which the channel remains assigned. During this hang time, the call can be rekeyed without going through the channel assignment procedure.
When the call is dropped, the network switch sends an end of call command to the secondary site controllers. A call is terminated in a similar format and operation as the slot assignment. Instead of establishing an audio route between sites and through the switch, the end of call command causes the assigned channels to be released.
In addition to providing communications between mobile radio units in different areas, the multisite network switch provides communications between dispatchers and mobile radio units. The dispatcher consoles are connected to the network switch in the same manner as are the site controllers. A dispatcher console can issue a channel call request through the network switch to a site controller in another area to call a mobile unit or to another dispatcher console to call a dispatcher in another area.
In addition to all of the features that the mobile units have, each dispatcher console has the ability to participate in any call in its area or to its assigned groups. Thus, when a call comes through the network switch from another area to a mobile radio, the network switch informs the dispatcher console of the call in addition to notifying the site controller. The dispatcher can listen in or participate in the call to the mobile radio.
The network switch is also capable of handling calls to groups of mobile units and/or dispatcher consoles. The wide area switch manages group calls and monitors the network to ensure that the site controllers for all of the callees in the group assign a channel to the group call. If a channel is not assigned, the wide area switch advises the caller that the wide area call cannot be formed as requested. The caller then has the option of re-keying the call so as to reach those areas having assigned channels.
The multisite switch maintains site and track masks in its databases to identify and locate each unit and group in the entire radio system covered by the multisite switch. A site mask is maintained for each radio unit in the system and each group of units. A track mask is also maintained for each user and group in the system. The site masks are static and are stored in a system manager for the system. The site mask must be uploaded from the system manager to appropriate nodes in the switch when a call is initially placed. The track mask is dynamic and is continuously updated by log-ins and call activity from the units in the various sites.
In the preferred embodiment, each mask is a 16-bit field. Each bit corresponds to a particular site. A one (1) bit signifies that this site should be involved in calls to the group or individual associated with the mask. A group can have multiple bits set in its site and track masks because there may be group members spread over several sites. An individual may have multiple bits set in his site mask but only one bit set in his track mask. An individual can be in only one site at a time. Accordingly, the track mask should only have one bit set at a time. By use of these masks, the multisite switch can determine which sites should participate in a call and which sites have certain units and group members. Using this information, the switch can route audio to the appropriate sites.
There are many advantages that multisite has over simulcast. Multisite avoids the difficulties associated with transmitting simultaneously several RF signals on the same channel. The complicated RF electronics and timing circuitry needed to overcome the problems that arise from overlapping signals that are required for simulcast are not needed in a multisite system. Multisite avoids the problems of overlapping signals by having each area assign a different channel for any one call. Moreover, there is no need for simultaneous calls in multisite as there is in simulcast. Furthermore, multisite signals need be broadcast only in those areas having a party participating in the call. Whereas, simulcast broadcasts calls over all areas regardless of whether there is anyone listing to the call in every area.
The present invention relates to a multisite switch having a distributed architecture. The logical functions of the switch are shared by various microprocessor operated nodes distributed throughout the switch. The nodes share the computational workload of the switch. Each node is connected to a site controller, dispatcher console, the system manager or other component of the overall radio system. The nodes coupled to site controllers are referred to as Master II Interface Modules (MIMs) and the nodes coupled to dispatcher consoles are referred to as Console Interface Modules (CIMs).
Each node of a multisite network switch is supported by a switch controller card operated by microprocessors. All of the cards have substantially the same hardware and are interchangeable. The MIM and CIM cards have identical hardware. There is one card for each site controller and each dispatcher console coupled to the switch. Each card acts as a gateway into the network for its site controller or dispatcher console.
The multisite switch does not completely fail if one card breaks down. Wide area communications, i.e. calls between site areas, continue despite the failure of a node. If a card fails, then the gateway to the network is closed only for its site controller or dispatcher console. Failure of a node prevents wide area communications only with respect to the site or console connected to the failed node. Mobile units in the area serviced by the failed card will not be able to call a unit in another area or receive calls from another area.
Local communications within an area are not disabled by the failure in the multisite switch. A site controller is not disabled by a failure of its associated node in the multisite switch. In particular, the failure of a MIM does not disable the site controller to which the MIM is connected. The site controller continues to operate and local communications within the area are unaffected by a failure in the multisite switch.
The ability to continue wide area calls after a node in the switch has failed provides several advantages to a distributed architecture switch over a central architecture switch. In a central architecture, a central processing unit (CPU) governs the operation of the switch. If this CPU fails, then the entire switch fails. Wide area communications are completely shut down by the failure of a multisite switch having a central architecture. As already stated, wide area communications are not completely shut down by a failure in a switch having a distributed architecture.
Distributed network multisite systems have a much faster data transfer rate than comparable central architecture multisite systems. Central computers process information serially. All communications passing through the switch must be serially processed by the central computer. The central computer slows communications because of its serial operation. Distributed network systems achieve parallel processing by sharing the computational task between several processors. Distributed networks are generally significantly faster than central computers.
Distributed network multisite systems are generally less expensive than multisite systems having a central computer. The hardware needed for a distributed network is a series of microprocessor controlled cards that handle communications between the multisite switch and the site central controllers, dispatcher consoles and various other users of the network. The cost of a series of cards is typically much less than that of a central computer. Moreover, a distributed network switch can be expanded simply by adding cards. To expand the capacity of a central computer requires purchasing a larger central computer.